Auto-lock.



G. M. MILLER.

AUTO LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED APR.25, 19x1.

latnted Apr. 2, 1919 notches b on the inner faces of the two armsandfalso preferablywith a lug 5 at the end of one arm adapted to-serveas a guide in applying the lock and as a means to prevent the shacklearms or prongs from entering the openings in the casing should it beattempted to push said casing upon he shackle from the wrong endthereof. To this end a recess a extends through the casing opening intothe margin of each of the holes in the opposite end walls of the casing;the recess at one side extending in an opposite direction to the recessat the other side of the casing, so as to provide a passage for the lug.b on one of the shackle arms at either side of the casing to enable theshackle arm to pass through or into the opening through the casing ateither side thereof but only when the casing is properly applied, thatis, when applied at the end opposite or remote from the key-end.

Within the casing may be fitted a pair of sliding bolts or ratchetilocking lugs ,"D. each of which is formed with an intermediate aperture(Z, therethrough, preferably of oblong 01' approximately oval form, andhaving an offset portion (Z at one side thereof, to provide a shoulderfor engagement with a key, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5; said pawlalso having a beveled tooth or projection 03 at one end, for engagementwith the ratchet teeth or notches in the shackle arm, and a recess d atthe other end therof in which one end of a spring G may be seated. Saidspring tends normally to force and hold the pawl in engagement, with thenotches in the shackle arm when the latter is inserted in the casing.The pawls D are fitted to slide back and forth in suitable guideways orgrooves a formed within the casing and are disposed in reverse relationto each other, one at or near one end of the casing and the other at ornear the i other end thereof; each having its beveled tooth orprojection arranged to engage the notches in the adjacent arm of theshackle with its beveled or inclined face facing the inclined faces ofthe notches in the shackle arm, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thesprings C may each be fastened at one end to a lug a on the inner sideof the casing A, and are preferably coiled around a stud a on the sameside of the casing so as to in crease the tension of the spring. Thefree ends of the springs lit respectively within the recesses (Z3 of thepawls D, to adapt them to press laterally against said pawls and forcethe same continuously into engagement with the notched arms of theshackle without using a key. A single pawl may be I used engaging onearm only of the shackle,

though preferably two are employed, one for each shackle arm. A seriesof ordinary tumblers E may be seated within a channel and retain thesame therebetween.

or recess provided therefor within the easing A, and are preferablydisposed between the pawl members D with the openings therethrough inalinementwith the openings through the pawls. Said tumblers may be soarranged as to adapt a different key to lit different arrangements ofthe series of tumblers in series, thus making it possible to provide akey of different pitch for each lock.- A key F adapted to fit thearranged series of tumblers E may be inserted through the key guide f,through which an opening is formed conforming to the shape of the key;said key guide being annularly grooved to adapt it to be retained by andbetween the end walls of the plates a and a of the casing which havesemicircular recesses formed therein to adapt them to fit the annulargroove in said guide Said guide is arranged in direct alinement with theintermediate apertures in the sliding dogs D and the tumblers E.

In operation, when the key F is inserted and turned in the properdirection, (to the right as here shown), the body of the key will engagethe shoulders (Z of the dogs I) and force the latter out of engagementwith the notches in-the arms of the shackle, thereby releasing thecasing A and permitting it to be pulled off of the shackle; but if thekey is turned backward or withdrawn, the springs C will force the dog ordogs back into position where they will again engage the notches in theshackle arms and prevent the removal of the lock. The lock can be,applied after removal from the shackle by inserting the prongs of theshackle in the openings through the casing at that end only which isopposite the keyend, for the reason that the dog adjacent said key endnormally obstructs the passage through which the prong must enter thecasing; the straight edge or fiat face 01 the tooth of the dog beingadapted to contact. with the flat end of the shackle arm and arrest themovement and prevent the prong from entering at the key-end, though atthe otherend the beveled edge or face of the dog is presented and byengagement of the end Oflille prong therewith it will be forced backagainst the pressure of the spring to allow the prong to enter.Insertion at the wrong or key end is also prevented by the lug b on theother 'arm of the shackle, which is adapted to strike the end of thecasing unless the shackle is properly insorted, in which position thepin 'on the shackle arm will pass through the recess a and freelythrough the casing. This auxiliary device, though desirable because ofits function as a guide in properly inserting the shackle, might bedispensed with.

Other changes in the details of construction and arrangement of partsmight be iii iii iiiitlihlh" @CDPY made without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not desire to be limited tothe specific construction and arrangement shown, which is merely apreferred form.

Having thu described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. A lock for automobiles and the like comprising a casing membercontaining suitable locking mechanism; said casing member havingopenings extending therethrough to receive the arms of a shackle, and arecess in the margin of each of said openings at the end thereofopposite the key-end, the recess at one side of the casing extending inan opposite direction to the recess at the other side thereof, one ofsaid arms having a ratchet face, means within said casing adapted toengage the ratchet teeth and prevent return movement of the casing, akey-guide at one end of the casing through which a key may be inserted,and a projection on one arm of said shackle adapted to fit one of saidrecesses when the shackle is properly applied, whereby the insertion ofthe shackle at the key-end of the casing is prevented.

2, A lock of the class described comprising a casing having lockingbolts arranged therein, a shackle having a plurality of arms adapted toslidably extend entirely through said casing, said arms beingprovidedwith notches to receive said locking bolts, said locked boltshaving beveled ends adapted to permit said arms to slide freely in saidcasing in one direction, and flat sides adapted to prevent the entranceof said arms in the opposite direction, and means on the shackle andcoiiperating means on the casing to prevent the insertion of saidshackle into said casing from that end of the casing opposite thekey-end.

3. An automobile lock comprising a shackle, having two arms, a casinghaving opening therethrough in which the arms of the shackle may beinserted, one of the shackle arms having" a ratchet face, means withinsaid casing adapted to engage said ratchet and prevent the withdrawal ofthe shackle, a key-guide at one end of the casin g through which a keymay be inserted for releasing the shackle, and means on said shackle andeasing whereby the arms of the shackle cannot be inserted in theopenings through the casing when applied at the key-end thereof.

4, A locking device comprising a shackle having two prongs and a casinghaving openings therethrough to receive s'aid prongs and movable alongthe same, one of said prongs having a serie of notches therein, meanswithin said casing adapted to engage said notches and lock the casin orprongs against backward movement; sai casing also having means thereonat one end for inserting a key to release the casing, and means on theshackle and cooperating means on the casing to prevent said prongs frombeing inserted in said openings at the key-end of the casing.

5. In a lock of the class described the combination with a shacklehaving arms provided with ratchet notches, a casing pro vided' withshackle arm apertures, a plurality of guides in said casing, lockingdogs adapted to slide in said guides transversely of said openings, saiddogs having beveled teeth flat faced on. the opposite side thereof, aseries of tumblers arranged intermediate said guides, a plurality ofsprings arranged on opposite sides of said tumblers and adapted tonormally project said dogs into said shackle arm apertures and preventthe entrance of said arms by contact with the flat faces of said teeth,said dogs and tumblers adapted to receive a key to operate the same. r

6. A casing having shackle openings extendin thercthrough, slidablelocking dogs, arranged in said casing and normally projected into saidopenings and beveled on I one face, mechanism operable from one end ofthe casing for retracting said lugs, a shackle having a plurality ofarms, a series of ratchet notches extending longitudinally of said armsand adapted to be progressively engaged by said dogs as the shackle ismoved into said casing whereby the shackle is locked against reversemovement and projections on the shackle arms together with means on thecasing adapted to prevent en trance of the shackle arms into said casingfrom that end of the casing toward which the bevel on said locking dogsface.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of a witness.

ononon M. MILLER.

Witness Frionnnon I. Mnnrznn.

